University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Harald Rene Klammler

Michael David Annable

Kirk Hatfield

John A Cherry

Beth Louise Parker

Mark A Newman

Leif E Layton

James William Jawitz

Jaehyun Cho

William George McDougal

Embodiments of the present invention provide a sediment bed passive flux meter (SBPFM) and associated methods. In one embodiment, an SBPFM is provided. The SBPFM comprises a casing. The casing comprises an intake portion, an exhaust portion, and an intermediate portion between the intake and exhaust portions. The SBPFM further comprises a permeable sock positioned within the intermediate portion of the casing and a sorptive matrix positioned within the sock. The sorptive matrix is impregnated with one or more tracers. The SBPFM is configured to passively intercept, but not retain, groundwater flow passing through the SBPFM from the intake portion to the exhaust portion.

Sediment bed passive flux meter (SBPFM)

An improved method and apparatus for simultaneously monitoring the magnitudes and directions of fluid fluxes and dissolved contaminants fluxes of a general flow system in both simply and multiply screened monitoring wells as well as unscreened boreholes is provided. Also, parameters such as fracture locations, separations, inclinations, orientations of inclination and apertures in a fracture flow system can be estimated. The invention comprises the use of a sorbent layer containing an insoluble sorbent matrix that retains dissolved contaminants, which is attached to an impermeable flexible liner. The matrix may also contain visible or invisible tracers that can be displaced by the fluid flow. The monitoring comprises placing devices in contact with the contaminated flow over certain intervals, thereby allowing contaminants to be sorbed to the sorbing matrix of the layer. Sufficient time is allowed for the contaminant concentrations in the flow field to reach equilibrium. The sorptive layer is then removed from contact with the flow field and analyzed to determine cumulative contaminant fluxes and cumulative fluid fluxes. Dye tracer marks on the sorptive layer allow for identifying fracture locations, separations, inclinations, orientation of inclinations and apertures as well as flow directions in the fracture planes.

Device and method for measuring fluid fluxes, solute fluxes and fracture parameters in fracture flow systems

An improved method and apparatus for simultaneously monitoring the fluid flux and the target chemical mass fluxes in fluid flow systems is provided comprising the use of a body or shell that is inserted into the flow field. Inside or outside this body is a bundle of one or more permeable sorptive columns. The extremes of each column are hydraulically connected to the outside flow field around the body of the device through a pair of small openings in the body. The known non-uniform flow velocity distribution around the body of the invention causes a pressure difference between pairs of openings used to connect internal or external column units. A preferred shape of the body is a hydrofoil. Alternatively, instantaneous measurement of the fluid flux and contaminant composition is possible using pressure transducers and a chemical sensor. The method of monitoring comprises placing the invention in contact with the contaminated flow field, thereby allowing target chemicals in the fluid to be transported through internal column units and be sorbed on the insoluble sorbent matrix. The permeable sorptive column unit is then removed and the sorptive matrix is analyzed directly or visually (if visible tracers are used) to determine cumulative fluid fluxes and cumulative target chemical mass fluxes.

Device and method for passively measuring fluid and target chemical mass fluxes in natural and constructed non-porous fluid flow system

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Gutenberg, Austria

Harald Rene Klammler